Catastrophic Injury · Motor Vehicle
Fresno Car Accident Lawyer
Serious-injury and wrongful-death car crash cases, prepared for trial from our Fresno office — statewide California when the case requires it.
Board-Certified civil trial representation. Contingency fee. Free, confidential case review.
When a car crash becomes a trial case
Most collisions resolve with an adjuster and a body shop. The cases we handle are different: a brain injury that changes who someone is, a spinal injury that requires surgery, injuries that end a working life, or a death that leaves a family to rebuild. In those cases the difference between an insurance payout and full accountability is preparation — and the willingness to try the case.
We prepare every serious crash case as if it will be tried to a Fresno County jury. Insurers know which firms mean it. See the cases we take →
What we investigate
Serious collision cases are won with evidence that disappears quickly:
- •Vehicle data. Modern cars record speed, braking, throttle, and seatbelt status in the seconds before impact. Preserving the event data recorder — before a vehicle is totaled out and crushed — is often step one.
- •The scene. Skid and yaw marks, debris fields, sight lines, signal timing, and roadway design — documented before weather and repaving erase them.
- •The driver. Phone records for distraction, employment status for a commercial layer (see trucking and rideshare cases), and impairment evidence in drunk-driving collisions.
- •The road itself. Some crashes are engineered by a dangerous condition of public property. Those cases follow different rules and a six-month government claim deadline — see government entity liability.
The insurance layers in a serious crash
A serious injury usually exceeds the at-fault driver’s policy. Finding every layer is part of the job: the liability policy, employer and permissive-user coverage, umbrella policies, and your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage — which matters enormously in the Central Valley, where a significant share of drivers carry no insurance or minimum limits.
When a carrier delays, lowballs, or plays games with its own insured, that conduct can itself create leverage. Cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis — no fee unless there is a recovery.
Serving Fresno & the Central Valley
The 99, I-5, 41, 168, and 180 corridors carry some of the heaviest mixed car-and-truck traffic in California, and Fresno sits at their center. Wherever the crash happened — Fresno, Clovis, Madera, Chowchilla, Sanger, Selma, Reedley, Visalia, or the foothill and mountain communities — the case is handled from our Fresno office, with statewide reach when the case requires it.
Cases from this region are typically filed in the Fresno County Superior Court or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, both a short drive from our office at 1265 W. Shaw Ave. Attorney Milligan has practiced from Fresno for more than 28 years. See all communities we serve →
“The very essence of civil liberty certainly consists in the right of every individual to claim the protection of the laws, whenever he receives an injury.”
Chief Justice John Marshall · Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Common Questions
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in California?
For most California personal injury claims the statute of limitations is two years from the date of injury (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). If a public entity may be responsible — a city vehicle, a dangerous road condition, a government employee — a written government claim is generally required within six months. Some situations shorten or extend these periods, so the safest course is to have the deadlines calculated by counsel early.
The other driver had no insurance. Is there anything I can do?
Often, yes. If your own policy includes uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, your own carrier stands in for the missing insurance — and it is required to treat you fairly when it does. See our UM/UIM claims page for how these cases work.
What is a serious car accident case worth?
No honest lawyer can answer that at the outset. Value depends on liability, the injuries and medical course, the available insurance layers, and how the case would present to a Fresno County jury. What we can say: quick round-number offers made before the medical picture is complete rarely reflect what a case is worth, and past results never guarantee a future outcome.
Do you handle minor fender-benders?
Our practice concentrates on serious-injury and wrongful-death collisions — the cases that justify full trial preparation. If your matter is not one we can take, we will tell you quickly so you can find the right fit without losing time.
What does it cost to hire your firm for a car accident case?
Nothing up front. Injury cases are handled on contingency — the firm advances the costs and is paid a percentage only if there is a recovery. The initial case review is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.
Important: This page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Submitting an inquiry does not create an attorney–client relationship; that relationship is formed only by a written agreement signed after we evaluate the matter for conflicts and merit. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Statutory citations are illustrative; the legal framework applicable to a specific case depends on the facts. The Law Offices of David L. Milligan, APC is licensed in California.